Gone
by TW-addict
Summary: "It's Buffy" - Angel returns home to find Willow in wait, baring news he knew would one day come. But why today? Why so soon? - carry on from the season two finale, please R&R :)


**Disclaimer: Buffy/Angel do not belong to me in any way shape or form – moving away from my usual teen wolf and OC writing to try this out and to give me motivation (and yes it's angsty this is not a surprise with me lmao) – hope y'all enjoy and please please review, thanks lovelies**

"It's Buffy"

The words were out of his mouth before he could register what they meant. His throat closing and stomach clenching before the tears had time to well beneath his eyelids.

He just knew. He _knew_ by Willow's face. He had always been on edge, dreading this day. Knowing that, sooner or later, it would come. That one day, he would no longer share the same earth as his love.

Willow swallowed, trying to keep her own emotions at bay as she stepped forward, her porcelain skin etched with grief and despair.

"It happened yesterday…" Willow murmured, her hands finding their way to one another to grasp, trying to ground herself and not give in to the soul crushing emotions threatening to devour her whole.

Angel felt his friends' presences behind him, Cordelia's eyes trained on the side of his head as she peered over at him in sympathy but he didn't dare look, his feet locked on the spot and his gaze never wavering from Willow's.

"How?" he croaked, feeling like he needed to take a deep breath despite not requiring oxygen, his whole world beginning to crumble down around him.

Willow moved forward, stepping closer to him until she was barely five feet away from him and he now saw, those sad doe eyes of hers rimmed red and filling with crystal tears.

"She died saving the world…" she said simply, a saddened but proud small smile tugging at her lips, "… saving Dawnie…"

Of course. Because that was what Buffy did. She put others before herself, before her own happiness and before her own life. It was one of the many reasons he fell in love with her.

"It was quick" Willow continued and Angel finally felt the weight of the realisation hit him, square in the chest like a ton of bricks.

Buffy, his Buffy, his little firecracker… was gone.

"There was… no blood, no bruises. She's at her home, in her bed resting… looking like she's sleeping" Willow murmured, her own voice getting chocked with emotion as a single tear fell down her cheek but she wiped it away with the back of her hand, moving forward to grasp his own, "I'm so sorry"

His knees wanted to buckle, his legs threatening to give way, but he found solace in Willow's friendly and understanding stare, his numb hands trying to grasp hers back.

"She's really gone?" he asked quietly, feeling like a scared lonely little boy whose whole universe had been set on fire.

Willow nodded silently, confirming everything he wished wasn't true.

"I didn't want to call… you deserve more than that" Willow whispered, "we all know how much Buffy meant to you, and how much you meant to her. That's why we're having a sunset funeral tomorrow… If you want to be there?"

Angel just simply nodded, totally lost. He could cope losing Buffy before because he knew she was still here, still alive and breathing and doing what she did best. That's how he could settle his mind and go on living his life, because he knew she was doing the exact same thing. Only now? She had been torn away from him, taken from this world she had saved over and over again far too young. His only consolation was she left it in a way she wanted, in a way she _chose_. She died for something, for someone, and he knew Buffy wouldn't have it any other way. She makes the decisions, and she made the most important one of all.

Willow smiled sadly, letting go of his hands to cup his cheek and wipe away a tear he didn't realise had even fallen, "Buffy still loved you… and she'll keep loving you, wherever she is"

He couldn't muster up the words to say thank you, to thank Willow for her consideration, her patience but most of all her understanding. Her thoughtfulness to break the most awful heart wrenching news in a delicate, gentle manner.

"Take care, and we'll see you tomorrow"

She gave him a gentle hug, embracing him warmly before excusing herself, giving Wesley and Cordelia a hug before leaving.

"Oh Angel…" Cordelia murmured sympathetically, rushing to his side to comfort him, "I'm so sorry. Buffy was so special, and if you need anything-"

"I need to go" he cut her off, his chest tightening anxiously despite not requiring air, needing to get away from all of this, from everything. Somewhere he could sit alone and cry.

"Go where?"

"Anywhere, I don't care" He moved towards the stairs, "after-after her funeral I need to go"

He didn't give the others a chance to reply, leaving them there in the entrance astounded, confused and saddened, watching him climb the steps and wondering when, or _if_ , they would ever see him again.

 **A/N) it always annoyed me they cut off that scene early lol I like angst so showing what happened after or inbetween those three months would've been so cool but hey ho, guess they wanted to leave it to our imaginations haha hope you all liked and please please review it would mean the world, getting back into writing isn't easy ya know ahaha thank you xoxo**


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